Draft Nation: Draft Review

With the 2025 NFL Draft completed, NFL teams are doing their last roster movements to prepare for Summer OTA’s. Before they do, Draft Nation will be evaluating the draft classes of all 32 NFL teams. Ian Stuart Martin offers his evaluation of how well each team did in addressing their pre-draft needs:

NFC West:

San Francisco 49ers: B-

The 49ers picked up several valuable players who will develop into solid starting-level prospects. The question is if players like Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and Nick Martin will be able to provide quality snaps and take some of the load off of existing starters..

Arizona Cardinals: C+

The Cardinals made good picks with the selections of Walter Nolen at pick 16 and Will Johnson in the second round. However, they only added one player to the offense, Hayden Conner, in the 6th round pick. They needed to add one more receiving threat to the McBride/Harrison duo or grab a guard earlier in case an injury occurs.

Seattle Seahawks: A

The Seahawks did a great job in building a team that can more effectively use Sam Darnold. Adding Zabel will solidify the interior offensive line, and picks like Nick Emmanwori, Tory Horten, and Damien Martinez add solid development players that can play now if injury-prone starters like Cooper Kupp go down. Finally, getting Jalen Milroe in the third round is great value for a player who needs a couple of years to develop.

Los Angeles Rams: B

By trading out of the first round for a future first-round pick, the Rams are making it easier for them to both compete now and be able to trade up next year for a Matthew Stafford successor. Picking Terrance Ferguson and Josaiah Stewart in the second and third rounds gives them good win-now pieces, but the Rams needed to get more players for their secondary.

NFC East

New York Giants: A-

Selecting Abdul Carter at pick 3 was expected. Trading back into the first round for the cost of two-thirds exported great value but netted quarterback prospect Jaxson Dart. Outside of the top two picks, the Giants picked up key players who will need to show they can play now. If Carter doesn’t play well in his rookie year or Dart doesn’t develop, then Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen will remain in the hot seat.

Dallas Cowboys: B-

Guard Tyler Booker was desperately needed by the Cowboys after future Hall of Famer Zack Martin retired. Outside of Booker, the Cowboys had a solid draft, getting positions of need and great project prospects like Shavon Revel. The knock is that the Cowboys didn’t get any weapons to take the pressure off of CeeDee Lamb.

Washington Commanders: B+

Considering the Commanders only had 5 picks in this year's draft, the Commanders added important tools to their team. What matters to a successful team is adding key pieces that provide skills other players on the roster don’t or taking the shot to shore up depth pieces. Losing Dante Fowler Jr. will still hurt, and the Commanders didn’t find someone to pair with Frankie Luvu in the draft.

Philadelphia Eagles: A-

Howie may have gotten a steal in the draft with Jihaad Campbell. Campbell’s concern is how well his shoulder heals, considering his heavy-hitting style needs him to use his shoulder without concern for re-injury. Outside of Campbell, the Eagles did find a potential replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson with Andrew Mukuba. The Eagles did get Mac McWilliams, but they needed to add more high-end talent at corner in case of injuries.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers: A

Somehow, the Panthers have managed to get a top-level playmaker in Tetairoa McMillan, but also got solid edge prospects Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. Helping a very lacking defense with top-quality rookies and getting the duo of Xavier Legette and Tetairoa McMillan was a dream scenario for the Panthers.

New Orleans Saints: B

The Saints need to get a younger roster. They looked toward this with their selection of Kelvin Banks Jr. Banks will add much-needed youth and projects to be a solid starter for many years. However, selecting a veteran college quarterback with durability concerns with the 40th overall pick, Tyler Shough, is overvaluing the need for a quarterback to start this season.

Atlanta Falcons: B+

The Falcons' selection of Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr., and Xavier Watts with their first three selections was a slam dunk. Pearce was a bit of an overreach, but getting Watts late in the third makes up for that. Not adding any new weapons for Michael Penix is a knock, but not a major one, considering they have Kyle Pitts and Drake London.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-

Drafting back-to-back cornerbacks with their second and third round selections will shore up an injury-riddled secondary from last year. Along with getting ahead of a still great but aging wide receiver room with the selection of Emeka Egbuka is the sort of drafting that maintains high levels of play.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: A-

The Bears used free agency to load up their defensive trenches and used the draft to give Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams plenty of tools on offense. Given Johnson’s pass focused offense the Bears will be able to make best use of Luther Burden and Colston Loveland.

Green Bay Packers: B

Green Bay certainly knows how to throw a party. Adding Matthew Golden and Savion Williams at wide receiver will give major upgrades to Jordan Love’s pass game. Not adding any cornerbacks will limit the Green Bay secondary’s potential to be heavily dependent on the health of Jaire Alexander.

Minnesota Vikings: D+

The main thing dragging down the Vikings is the Texans-Giants trade. The Vikings could have traded down to pick 34 and still more than likely been able to still select Donovan Jackson. If not, they could have certainly picked Josh Simmons, given him a year behind Darrisaw and O’Neill to heal and learn.

Detroit Lions: C

The Lions added solid picks that do match Dan Campbell’s “kneecap biter” philosophy, but that is almost a downside. Yes, Tyleik Williams, Tate Ratledge, and Miles Frazier are all bruising defensive and offensive linemen, but the Lions needed to get a more consistent pass rusher to pair with Aiden Hutchinson.